Features

Match Report

Posted
Fri 20 Jun 14
at 18:28 PM

Tranmere were beaten by top of the table Burton Albion 4-1 at Prenton Park. Damien McCrory and Lucas Akins gave The Brewers a two-goal lead before a Kayode Odejayi 25 yard volley redcued the arrears before half-time. Max Power missed a penalty before Burton sealed the points with strikes from Nasser El Khayati and an Adam Dugdale own goal.

Micky Adams made three changes to the side which beat Cambridge on Tuesday night. Steve Jennings missed out through suspension while Josh Thompson and Danny Gardner were absent due to injury. Adam Dugdale, Rory Donnelly and Jordan Hugill came in to replace them.

Burton boss Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink named two former Tranmere players in his starting line-up in the form of Shane Cansdell-Sherriff and Lucas Akins but Robbie Weir and Adam McGurk missed out on a return to their former club due to a suspension and back injury respectively.

The visitors had the first chance of the game on five minutes as a corner from the right found the head of John Mousinho but his effort drifted wide before two minutes later Tom Naylor was played through on goal but Owain Fon Williams made a save outstretched to his right to turn the ball away for a corner.

Tranmere's first chance came on nine minutes as Jennison Myrie-Williams sent over a vicious free-kick from the right which found Adam Dugdale but the defender's header went narrowly over the bar.

Two minutes later, Michael Ihiekwe sent over a cross from the right but Kayode Odejayi's header went just wide.

The Brewers took the lead on 18 minutes. Lucas Akins crossed from the right with the ball was flicked on by Stuart Beavon to Damien McCrory who fired home from 15 yards into the far corner of the net.

They doubled their lead four minutes later as former Rovers winger Akins received the ball 12 yards out and although Fon Williams saved his initial effort, he turned home the rebound to make it 2-0.

Rovers pulled a goal back on 35 minutes with Myrie-Williams flicking on a ball forward and the bouncing ball fell kindly to Odejayi who thumped the ball into the top corner of the net on the volley.

Myrie-Williams tried his luck from 20 yards a few minutes later but his shot was saved by Burton goalkeeper Jon McLaughlin in what was the final opportunity on goal of the first 45 minutes.

Tranmere made a change at the start of the second half with Lee Molyneux replacing Jordan Hugill.

Rovers were given a chance to equalise on 58 minutes after Odejayi was fouled in the penalty area by John Mousinho. Max Power stepped up from 12 yards but McLaughlin flung himself to his left and made a save.

Michael Ihiekwe had a chance on 66 minutes as a Molyneux corner found its way to him in the penalty area but his effort flew over the bar before Molyneux hit a free-kick from 30 yards which McLaughlin was equal to a minute later.

Burton restored their two-goal advantage on 72 minutes as Akins laid the ball to Adnenasser El Khayati 12 yards out who steered the ball into the net past Fon Williams.

With 14 minutes remaining, Ben Jago came on for his Tranmere debut in place of Marc Laird before four minutes later, Rovers' final change saw Liam Ridehalgh replaced with Jake Kirby.

In the final minute of normal time, the scoring was complete as Akins was played clear down the right and his low cross was turned into his own goal by Adam Dugdale.

Dominic Knowles fired wide for Burton with the last kick of the game as The Brewers took all three points.